WHAT: On October 11-13, 2007, the 26th edition of the Great American Beer Festival returns to Denver. The granddaddy of all US beer fests, the 2007 GABF will serve over 1,800 beers (in one-ounce tasting portions) from 474 American breweries to the event’s 40,000 plus attendees.

WHO: Presented by the Brewers Association. Based in Boulder, Colo., U.S.A., the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association for American craft brewers and the community of beer enthusiasts.

MORE: The 2007 Great American Beer Festival will have 1,884 beers available to sample and 2,832 beers will be judged over 3 days by more than 100 judges. In 2006, 3 of the 4 festival sessions sold out. New this year, the festival has gone green with the goal of recycling all possible packaging and festival programs.

Among this year's 75 outlined beer categories some new styles include: Pumpkin Beer, Other Low Strength Ale or Lager, Gluten Free Beer, American-Style Sour Ale, Wood and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer, and American-style Imperial Stout. Attendees can sample beer by state, visit educational booth areas, attend food and beer seminars from an A-list of chefs and food experts, and listen to live interviews with the rock stars of the brewing industry.

The Great American Beer Festival has played a crucial role as a showcase and catalyst for the U.S. craft beer industry (which is now at an all time high). Scan data from Information Resources Inc. shows craft beer with a 17.8% increase in supermarket sales for 2006 -- more growth than any other alcohol beverage category in the supermarket sales channel. In the past three years, craft beer sales have grown by an astounding 31.5%.